Holder for socket wrench sets



Aug. 2, 1932. H G, RICE 1,869,945

HOLDER FOR SOCKET WRENCH SETS Filed Oct. 8, 1926 Patented Aug. 2, 1932 STATES PATENT oFFics HAROLD G. RICE,'OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO INDEST'RO MFG. CO., GF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS HOLDER FOB SOCKET WRENCH SETS Appiiation sied octoer s, 192e. serial No. 140,241.

This invention relates to holders for socket wrench sets and more particularly to such holders which are adapted to hold a series of sockets of graduated sizes in a row, and a bent end socket wrench handle member in a convenient packed position relative to the sockets. j The socket wrench set holder herein disclosed is an improvement on the structure shown in my Patent No. 1,654,703, issued January 3, 1928.

The objects of this invention are to provide a. holder having means for maintaining the sockets in a compact and orderly row arrangement with the socket wrench handle arranged along the row of sockets and held adjacent thereto so as to form aneat appearing and compact socket wrench set.

Other objects of the invention are to provide means for holding the handle adjacent the sockets in such a way that the handle may be readily removed therefrom withoutl disturbing or releasing the rsockets from the holder; to provide means for locking the sockets in the holder, which ymeans will permit one of the sockets to be removed from the holder without rendering the locking means inoperative as to the other sockets remaining in the holder; to provide means for holding the sockets in the container independent of the handle, and to provide a holder of this type which will be light in weight yet strong and substantial so as to withstand the rough handling to which such devices are ordinarily subjected and which will Vbe simple and economical to manufacture.

@ther objects and advantages of the invention will be readily understood by reference to the following specification considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which I have illustrated a selected embodiment of my invention, and wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a plan;

Fig. 3 is a. section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. l is a section similar to Fig. 3 but showing the latch mechanism in unlocked position;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1'; Figs. 6 and 7 are sections on the lines 6 6 and 7-7 respectively of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is aplan corresponding to the lefthand end of Fig. 2 but showing the parts in the position shown in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 9 is a side elevation showing the handle member removed and the socket wrench holder opened to permit removal of any of the sockets.

Referring now to the drawing, a container or tray 10 comprises a bottom wall 11 and side walls 12 and 13, which are bent upwardly from the bottom wall, being preferably integral therewith. The container is preferably tapered, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, so as to receive the largest of the sockets 14C at one end, in the present showing at the right end, and the smaller sockets towards the left end. The end of the tray 10 adjacent the largest socket is also provided with an upwardly extending end wall 15, which is in eifect a continuation of the walls 12 and 13. The left-hand end of the tray is also provided with an end wall which comprises a portion 16 bent upwardly from the bottom and suitably joined along its upwardly extending edges to the side walls 12 and 13. rlhe tray is thus provided with means for retaining the sockets therein against lateral movement relative to the tray and means are provided for locking the sockets therein against withdrawal therefrom.

The means for locking or retaining sockets in the tray comprises a member 17', which thereunder.

Means for locking the member 17 in operative or closed position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, comprises a pivotally mounted latch member 22 which is pivotally connected to the end wall 16 of the tray by suitable means such as a rivet 23. The latch member 22 is provided adjacent its upper end with an inwardly projecting part 2li, which extends over the free end of the locking member 17. wWhen it is desired to unlock the member 17 the latch member 22 is swung on its pivot to the position shown in Figs. d and 8, after which the member 17 will be free to be swung about pivotal connection at its other end with the side members of the tray. lVhen the retaining member 17 is swung on its pivot to the position shown in Fig. 9, itwill be readily understood that the sockets are readily accessible and may be withdrawn from the tray for use.

The retaining member i7 is preferably channel shaped, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, to receive and position a socket wrench handle member 25 lengthwise thereover, and the member 2e, which locks the retaining member 17 in closed position, is preferably cupshaped and is adapted to receive the straight end of the handle member so as to prevent lateral displacement of the handle member fromthemember 17. .A clip member 26 is pro-- vided adjacent the opposite or bent end of the handle member and is secured to the retaining member 17 by means of the aforementioned rivet 21 and is adapted to releasably grip and hold the handle member in place on the member 17. The bent end 27 of the handle member is disposed downwardly adjacent the end of the largest socket 14 and is of such length that projects into the tray 10. The end wall of tl e tray is therefore elective to prevent lateral movement of the bent end 27 away from the sockets and thereby prevent endwise movement of the handle through the clip 26 and out of thc cup member 24. In order to more securely hold the handle member, I prefer to form a pocket as indicated at 28 in the end wall 15 for receiving the lower end of the bent end 27 of the handle member, whereby turning of the handle is also prevented. In the present instance the handle member io shown as comprising a hexagonal bar, and I therefore shape the pocket Q8 to receive the outer flat side Vof the bent end 27 and portions of the adjacent angularly extending sides, as clearly shown in Fig. f2.

I prefer to provide a screwdriver socket member 29, which may be conveniently disposed in the tray at the left-hand end, as shown in the drawing, and in order to more securely hold this screwdriver member in the v tray, I depress the free end of the member 17, as shown at 30, and provide a slet 31 in the depressed portion adapted to receive the screwdriver end of the screwdriver socket 29, as most thoroughly shown in Fig. 8. The

depressed portion of the member 17 isy preferably rounded, as clearly shown in Figs. 3- and 4, to snugly receive the cup member 24:, and one edge of the rounded portion is cut away as indicated at 32 to permit swinging of the member 16 and cup 24.

The handle member 25 may be removed from the holder merely by lifting the bent end 27 a distance suliicient to free it from the end of the tray and from the clip 26, after which it may be withdrawn from the cup 24. In order to prevent sliding of the row of sockets from their normal position due to the space left at the end of the tray by removal of the handle member, I provide a down" turned lip 33 on the adjacent end of the retaining member 17, which is adapted to engage a portion of the end socket, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

I have thus provided a socket wrench set holder which comprises few parts of simple construction and which may easily be assembled to provide a comparatively strong and rugged holder, which will withstand comparatively rough treatment, to which holders of this type are ordinarily subjected. I

am aware that various changes may be readily made in the form, construction and arrangement of parts without de arting from the essence of the invention as c eined by the following claims, which I desire to have construed as broadly as possible consistent with the state of the art.

I claim:

A holder for receiving a set of sockets in a row and a bent end handle member ar-` es ranged lengthwise thereover with the bent end projecting downwardly along the side of the sockets at one end of the row and comprising tray for receiving the sockets in a row, a retaining member pivotally connected .ic to the tray at one end, latch means at the other end of the tray for locking said retaining means in closed position and provided with means for positioning and preventing lateral movement of one end of the handle ics member relative to the sockets, means seycured to said retaining member for releasably holding the other end of the handle adjacent theV row of sockets, and means comprising a part of said tray for coactin g with the bent end of said handle for preventing said end from moving laterally away from the end socket and whereby endwise moveine-nt of the handle is prevented..

HAROLD G. RICE. in 

